Murray State Career Services is now offering a great new opportunity for students. They have opened the “Career Closet,” a program where students can get professional attire for their next interview, meeting, or networking event–for free. Once per semester, a student may go to Career Services to pick out a new professional outfit free of charge, choosing from a variety of professional clothing donated by students, faculty, and community members. Her Campus recently sat down with Career Services intern Caroline Wells, who headed up the project.
Although the idea for the closet had begun several years ago, nothing had been done with the donations that had come in. Caroline, who had done a similar clothing closet for her high school, asked to be put on the project. She says, “I headed up the project but I definitely couldn’t have done it without the other Career Services staff and workers.”
According to Caroline, the Career Closet took a lot of work to get ready! The clothes had to be sorted through and organized, while Caroline also got the room ready to go, which took most of last semester. “It was hours each week to get it prepared, but I really enjoyed it,” she says.
The Career Closet offers a variety of professional clothing for men and women. Caroline lists off the many clothing options they have: “We have suits, men’s and women’s suits. We have dress pants, blazers, jackets, skirts. We have a few dresses. We have a lot of ties. And we have a few portfolios and accessories. Everything that’s in there is good-looking, professional clothing.”
(image courtesy of Ruthson Zimmerman on upsplash)
To pick out an outfit from the Career Closet, Caroline says students should go to Career Services, 100 Oakley Applied Sciences, “and ask to use the Career Closet. We would swipe you in with your student ID. We’ll walk you over to the Career Closet (down the hall) and let you choose from any of the clothing. We also provide help and advice for the students if they’re not sure what is appropriate for their specific interview or meeting. Then we’ll just give you a bag to take your clothes in, and send you on your way!”
Caroline hopes the Career Closet will bring positive change for Murray State students. She says that “professional clothing is very important for job interviews and networking events. Definitely for the Career Fair.” She wants students to be able to “attend those networking events and those interviews looking their best and looking professional. I think it will help students get jobs and make connections they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.”
(image courtesy of rawpixel.com on unsplash)
Caroline encourages students to continue looking for updates in the Career Closet as they collect more clothing and update the Closet itself. The Career Closet is still accepting any and all donations of professional clothing. They are currently especially looking for larger sizes for men. Donations can be dropped off in the Career Services office.
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